Minnesota Wild: Ilya Bryzgalov likely to start Game 1 in goal

Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov of the Minnesota Wild looks on during a break in the action against the Colorado Avalanche in Game Two of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center on April 19, 2014 in Denver. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

CHICAGO -- As the Wild return to the scene of where their goalie problems began, the problem lingers.

Just as they entered a stretch with two healthy goalies last week, Darcy Kuemper suffered an undisclosed injury, possibly related to a concussion suffered last month.

Kuemper exited Game 7 of Minnesota's first-round playoff series against Colorado with eight minutes remaining in regulation, and Ilya Bryzgalov filled in in relief. He stopped the only shot he saw in 13 minutes of action.

Now -- just as he did in the opening-round series -- Bryzgalov likely will start Game 1 in the Wild's second-round series against the Blackhawks. Kuemper, who apparently suffered the injury during a collision behind the net in Game 7, likely won't dress, leaving John Curry, who has appeared in six NHL games, to back up Bryzgalov.

The game takes place at United Center, where Niklas Backstrom suffered an abdominal injury in warm-ups before last year's playoff opener. The injury resulted in offseason surgery and lingered throughout this season before Backstrom was shut down in March.

"It's not that much of a challenge, to be honest with you," coach Mike Yeo said. "I even heard a couple of our players joking about it right now because it's been an ongoing thing ... not just this year, but it's something we've had to deal with the last couple years. And I give our players a great deal of credit for how they've dealt with it."

Josh Harding, who hasn't appeared in a game since Dec. 31 because of issues with his multiple sclerosis, is on the trip and had his goalie pads sent to Chicago on Thursday so he can begin skating with teammates, Yeo said.

Bryzgalov started the first two games against the Avalanche, but the Wild lost both of those games. Kuemper started Games 3-7.

Bryzgalov allowed five goals in Game 1 and three on 14 shots before being pulled midway through Game 2.

"Our team has played a game in front of (all our goalies) that has given them a chance to be successful, too, and that game hasn't changed," Yeo said. "It hasn't changed from one goalie to the next, and that's where I feel that we've matured a little bit as a team.

"We're a little more comfortable in our own skin, where we can play against Colorado, we can play against Chicago and there shouldn't be a lot of changes to our game, either. We should go out and try to put our best game on the table and be confident with that."